


A Map of Your Stars

by legojacques (InterruptingDinosaur)



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Fluff, Kent is trying to be a good boyfriend, M/M, he is trying so hard, ideal dates at science centers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-03
Updated: 2018-01-03
Packaged: 2019-02-27 16:34:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13252206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InterruptingDinosaur/pseuds/legojacques
Summary: Kent’s Totally Awesome, Not Lame Birthday Gift Ideas for Swoops:1) He is secretly a space nerd and has a favorite planet (Jupiter). Will not shut up about it when it comes up in conversations. Arrange for a trip into outer space?-Pros:I will be the best boyfriend ever.-Cons:He would probably be gone for a long time. Also, I’ve seenThe Martianand I would not want him to get stuck on Mars.-Kent just wants to be a good boyfriend and get Swoops' birthday present right.





	A Map of Your Stars

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from "Venus" by Sleeping at Last

“I don’t know what to get him for his birthday. Help!”

Kent slammed his laptop shut and flopped backwards on his bed in agonized defeat. Kit, as expected, ignored his suffering and took the opportunity to climb on his chest. 

“I don’t know if I’m cut out for this boyfriend stuff,” Kent sighed. Kit meowed, but he wasn’t sure if she was in agreement with him or not. He absentmindedly scratched behind her ears while he contemplated what to get Swoops for his upcoming birthday. 

He wanted something meaningful since they _were_ dating, but they’d also agreed to keep their relationship quiet for a while. So, whatever Kent did for Swoops’ birthday would have to be low key. The real problem was that Kent didn’t have the faintest clue and Kit was the worst brainstorming buddy.

He’d already not-so-subtly asked Swoops what he’d wanted a month ago, but Swoops had brushed it off and told Kent not to worry about it. 

Well, Kent was worrying about it. 

Kent tried to think about what he would want for his own birthday. A watch? No, too flashy and Swoops didn’t like to wear watches anyways. An expensive dinner at one of those fancy places that overlooked the city? No, Swoops wasn’t a fan of heights. Actually, any kind of dinner at a restaurant would be out of the question. Too public. 

Kent groaned, but sat up to grab the pad of paper and pen he kept by his bedside. His mom used to say that the best way to find a solution was by writing down everything in your head because the answer was in there somewhere. 

An hour later and seven scribbled pages later, Kent was still coming up blank. He’d written out a pros and cons list of different gift ideas, but when that didn’t work, he wrote down everything he knew about his boyfriend. 

**Kent’s Totally Awesome, Not Lame Birthday Gift Ideas for Swoops:**

  * Likes basketball. Get tickets to a game?
    * Pros: We go to a basketball game.
    * Cons: If we end up on the jumbo screen, I will want to make out with him and that will out the both of us.
  * Likes books and reading and all that other nerdy stuff. Buy him a bookstore? 
    * Pros: A lot of books which would probably make him happy. 
    * Cons: He would be reading a lot and not paying attention to me. 
  * Is secretly a space nerd and has a favorite planet (Jupiter). Will not shut up about it when it comes up in conversations. Arrange for a trip into outer space?
    * Pros: I will be the best boyfriend ever.
    * Cons: He would probably be gone for a long time. Also, I’ve seen _The Martian_ and I would not want him to get stuck on Mars. 



\---

A week later, Swoops and Kent were waving goodbye to the rest of the guys as they all scattered onto the sidewalk from the bar. The team had taken Swoops out for his birthday, mostly as an excuse to eat unhealthy food and get drunk. They’d had a particularly exhausting practice that morning so it was really all justifiable. 

Towards the end of the night, Kent had fake yawned loudly. Swoops had understood the signal and stretched his arms out in dramatic fatigue. “I think I’m gonna call it night. Parse, can get a ride? My place is just a block from yours.”

They didn’t go home though. Kent kept on driving and refused to tell Swoops where they were going. 

“We’re at the Space and Science Center,” Swoops said in confusion when they finally got there. 

“Yes,” Kent said. “Happy birthday.”

“They’re closed.”

Kent grinned. “Not tonight.”

Inside, Kent pulled Swoops with him until they were sitting in the middle of the auditorium with tipped their heads back. They had a perfect view of the domed ceiling that currently had the night sky projected on it. It felt a bit overwhelming, but he felt Swoops slip his hand into his, and Kent gave him a grateful squeeze. The soothing prerecorded voice began to talk and the universe above them began to change and move as it took them to stars and planets across the galaxy. 

After the show was over, Swoops was quiet and Kent had a moment of self-doubt that maybe this wasn’t as great as he thought it was going to be. “Are you okay,” he asked quietly?

Swoops didn’t answer right away. “You know, I’ve been in Vegas for almost six years, and I’ve only been here once before.”

That revelation surprised Kent. Swoops loved all things space and science related. He would have thought that Swoops would have been here hundreds of times. Kent had been on the fence about booking the entire science center because he’d thought it wasn’t special enough, but the website had mentioned that their planetarium had undergone recent renovations and they’d upgraded their digital projectors. 

“Well, you can now say you’ve been here twice.”

Swoops snorted in amusement before giving Kent a fond but sad smile. “My mom used to take me as a kid to all these museums, but after she was diagnosed, it got really hard to go by myself.”

I’m sorry,” Kent apologized. He felt terrible about his idea now. Swoops hardly mentioned his family, but Kent knew that his mother had passed away a few years ago. 

“I should be the one saying that. You planned this amazing evening and I’m ruining it it by being sappy.”

“Jeff,” Kent said firmly. “You’re not ruining anything.” He kissed him, sweet, slow, and deliberate. 

“Thank you for this, Kenny. This is perfect,” Swoops whispered.

Kent softened at the way he said “Kenny” and he smiled back. He had the urge to suddenly say something cheesy, like “I love you,” but he bit his tongue before it could slip out. “You know we’re only getting started right? We have the whole building for the whole night.”

“That’s ridiculous. How did you manage that?”

“Well, I did make a sizeable donation last week because you know I am generous and have always supported the sciences.”

“You are something else,” Swoops said before kissing Kent again. 

“I heard there’s an exhibit downstairs that lets you make music by shining different lights on a wall,” Kent said when they finally broke apart. “Wanna go check it out?”

“Maybe, in a bit. Can we just sit here for a while?

“Sure,” Kent agreed. Then, because he couldn’t stand silence for too long, pointed at one of the constellations. “What’s that one called?”

“Cassiopeia. It’s supposed to be a crown because she was queen…” 

Kent let his head fall onto Swoops’ shoulder, hands still clasped, as he listened to Swoops quietly explain the mythology that humans had attributed to the stars. 

Under the vast, artificial sky, Kent felt very small and insignificant in comparison to the universe, but when he looked over, the way Swoops smile at him like he was his whole world said otherwise.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on tumblr at [legojacques ](http://legojacques.tumblr.com)or find the fic [ on tumblr.](http://legojacques.tumblr.com/post/147717654953/i-dont-know-what-to-get-him-for-his-birthday)


End file.
